Good over Petty: A Choice I’m Making

2016 Presidential Election

2016 Presidential Election

As the 2022 election stretches into day three, I am reminded of the election of 2016 and how upset I was with the overall ugliness. Let’s try to be nicer to each other, more gentle, expressing more love, okay? We will all be happier–and not nearly as dirty!


Spring 2016

I’ve gotten inordinately distracted by this year’s presidential campaign. I’ve always been interested in politics, so it’s not surprising that I’m following the election news. But this year, there’s not as much campaign news as there is petty filth and drivel. The offensive nature of the 2016 US election is very literally making me sick.

I messaged my sister to commiserate. Here’s a snippit of that conversation (condensed for the purpose of this post).

ME: I’m so upset about this dadgum election. I think way too much about it.

MY SISTER: Take a break. I had to.

ME: It makes me so mad. My stomach is upset; I feel like I’m about to cry over it all the time. It is just so upsetting! The fact that the people of this nation are drawn to the theatrics and that other candidates are picking up such tacky behavior . . . I can’t stand it.

MY SISTER: Aileen. You know that you have to stop.

ME: How do you get away from it though? It’s on the news, on Twitter, everywhere.

MY SISTER: It wraps you up in pain and renders you impotent.

ME: Precisely.

MY SISTER: You can’t be involved in politics the way you want to if you are in this much pain. Do some sort of news blackout.  Not a long time. A day? Could you do that?

ME: Yes probably. I have to do something to get it out of my head. This is seriously sickening.

MY SISTER: You are no good in this state.

ME: But I’d rather do something to improve the national mood. To make this better.

MY SISTER: YOU do help. All the time. Don’t lose yourself in it. You really, really can help. The WORLD.

my sister my championMy sister, my champion.

Her words got me thinking. See, I was going to post about my frustrations and concerns regarding the negativity swirling around the country. But as we were chatting, I realized that everything I have to say on this has already been said, reworded, and said again. People who will listen, have. Those who won’t, aren’t going to change their thoughts because of my opinion. So what to do?

I heard a quote on NPR’s Politics Podcast this week that seems appropriate here:

Never wrestle with a hog because you’ll both get dirty and the hog will like it.

So I’m staying out of this nasty mess. And instead of adding to a fight that is already spewing filth on anyone who gets near it, I’m going to keep trying to put some good into the world.

What about you? What good thing will you add to your world this week?

“Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior:
Ask yourself what you want people to do for you;
then grab the initiative and do it for them!”
Luke 6:31 The Message

By Aileen MItchell Lawrimore

Aileen Mitchell Lawrimore is a mother x 3, wife x 35 (years not men), minister, speaker, writer, retreat leader, and lover of beagles and books. She has a lot to say.